Dan Dan Boy

My go-to spot at Union Market. I spent my whole life in mainland China in a household full of amazing cooks before moving to DC and I would say Dan Dan Boy does a great job in preserving the authentic texture and flavors of street food in China while making it as accessible as possible to a broader audience. Dandan noodles, the signature dish, is very flavorful with the famous Sichuan numbing spiciness. The milk tea tastes as good as that of Canton cafes back home.

My partner and I went to Taiwan over the summer and our favorite meal we had there was beef noodle soup. Since then we think about it often! We are in D.C visiting and of course came to Union Market where we were delighted to stumble on Dan Dan Boy, serving beef noodle soup. If I wasn’t in public eating this dish I probably would have cried at how delicious it is and how it transported me right back to Taiwan. 10/10 would recommend. I’d consider making the 14hr drive from Florida again just for this dish.

The eggplant and garlic was awful. Every bite, all I could taste was vinegar. The carrots were almost raw and the pickled radish on top only made it even more sour. Don’t get this unless you REALLY like vinegar. Rice was super good though, and the woman at the counter was very nice.

I can taste the love! I’m a native Washingtonian of 54 years. For years the DC food scene was refreshing, authentic and delicious! We get food pioneers but in the last couple of years the price of a meal outside of home has skyrocketed while the quality has plummeted. I’m more selective now when I eat out. Take out places are suggesting tips but cutting back on portions, flavor and presentation while raising prices. Check out Dan Dan! Today I had the beef short rib soup with noodles. The first hit was the broth, it smacked my nose and tongue in all the right ways. The noodles were tasty, flavorful and delicious. Add the crunch of bok choy, carrots, scallions and daikon radish with the perfectly tender beef short rib and you are in for a treat. If you don’t know, try some of Mama’s recipes and taste the love she puts in each dish! I devoured it before I thought to snap a photo. But go check it out for yourself:)

Wow! Best noodles I have ever had- Dan Dan schezuan style with tofu is amazing. Highly recommend for vegetarians. I will definitely be back. The workers are also so nice

Delicious! I had the chicken and hand pulled noodles (less spicy), one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. The chicken was tender, the noodles were chewy, and the soup was spiced perfectly. It’s genuinely not over priced (a common bias against Chinese food!) once you consider that the bowl could give you at least two, probably three, and perhaps even four meals if you stretch it a bit. Also, it’s in DC — it has to pay DC rent in a trendy neighborhood so of course it’s not going to be $10. Very good and I will be coming back to try more.

My husband and I have been multiple times and always enjoy it! This afternoon we got the stir fried noodles and the turkey and bok choy dumplings, and both were delicious. The noodles were a generous portion and a great combination of textures. Since we like a little extra kick, they were kind enough to provide us some extra chili oil on the side. The dumplings were a strong balance of tradition and creativity! We didn’t get it this time but our favorite thing on the menu has got to be the hot pot.

WOW! Everything was bursting with flavor. The staff had such amazing and positive vibes. Even Ma came through late at night to work in the kitchen, which was a huge plus for me. I got some incredibly authentic dumplings - no grocery store bought stuff here! My hubby and I are definitely coming back, but it's so popular that many items go out of stock around 7pm.

Had a great meal with the chicken and noodle soup. I got the dish for my little one, so I made sure to ask if it was spicy or not. It definitely looked spicier than it actually ended up being. It had great flavor with good depth to the broth. The noodles do feel hand-pulled, so that's always a nice touch. I don't know how well the noodles travel because it kind of just sits in the broth, but if you want to eat at the Yards Park, it should make for a delicious meal!

I went with the Dan Dan noodles. They had a large portion of meat and just a healthy serving in general. I felt it was overly salty and the noodles seemed like spaghetti noodles. The service was quick and friendly. There is seating all around within Union Market, both inside and outside.

Cute shop inside Union Market. They offer weekly specials in addition to their regular menu. I opted for their beef noodle soup. The noodles were the right amount of chewy and I absolutely loved their broth. It had a hint of spiciness and was incredibly flavorful. Unfortunately, the beef in my beef noodle soup had a lot of fat on it, which made it less appetizing to eat. However, I really appreciate that they did give me three large chunks of beef with my order! Service was quick and everyone was really friendly.

I was very surprised by the reviews here based off the food that I enjoyed. First off the portions of their noodle dishes are hefty and worth the price point. While I did not try the namesake dish the hand cut chicken noodles with spicy chicken were excellent. The noodles were thick and al dente lathered in a generous portion of sauce with piled high with tender chicken and loads of Szechuan peppers. If you like spicy and flavor this is a solid dish to give a try.

The service was quick and the hand pulled noodles were delicious! I got the (less) spicy stew chicken and the entire dish was well balanced in all the flavors and textures. I would definitely come back and want to try a rice dish!

Was skeptical going here because of less than 4 star ratings, but was really craving Dan Dan noodles. I'm admittedly very easy to please when it comes to food, but my girlfriend and I thought this was a great meal. We got the Dan Dan noodles with ground pork, and the dumplings of the day which were turkey. Both were delicious and filling! A little pricey for a quick bite, it was like $31 after tax and tip for those 2 things, but that's DC. Food came out quickly and tasted fresh. Maybe wish there was some greens in the noodles, I think bok choy was extra.

Delicious authentic Sichuan style beef noodle with huge chunks of cooked-through tender (melt in your mouth) beef (and high quality meat). Not spicy in fact but very tasty. Love their logo too (it's a person's hair made of noodle, being scooped up by chopsticks). There's a bit of a wait once order is placed, probably because they make everything fresh to order which is a plus. Love their bowl of noodle model (made of plastic) on the counter.

We ordered Dan Dan Boy at Union Market to try something new. I love eggplant, so I chose the eggplant dish. The flavors were great, but it was overall a little greasier than I expected. My husband got the Dan Dan noodles, which were great! I loved the combination of textures and flavors. Service is pretty quick. You order at the counter and wait for about 10 min. There is sometimes a line, and Union Market is always busy! You can eat outside at picnic tables or on the roof at Hi Lawn.

I am very happy there is a spot with Chinese glass noodles in Union Market. They were sour and yummy. The mapo tofu was odd - a different style altogether and not really to my liking. I wish I could eat gluten and eat their dumplings. There was an older Asian woman making each dumpling by hand. They seemed delicious!

I thought this place was mediocre...I've had Dan Dan Noodles at other places and the version here wasn't up to par with my expectations for great noodles. The meat had a bit of an odd consistency, but was very savory. The noodles were a bit softer than the texture I was expecting. Unlike other versions of Dan Dan Noodles, the sauce was basically oil that sat at the bottom of the bowl and not the usual sauce of layered rich flavors. The service was good and it's easy to navigate the menu since there isn't an overwhelming amount of options. If I went back to this spot, I'd definitely try one of the other dishes they offer.

I came to Dan Dan Boy after hearing glowing recommendations. I was excited, thrilled, even ready to indulge in flavors that were supposedly out of this world. Instead, I was greeted with what can only be described as the culinary equivalent of sadness. The food had no flavor. None. As if the chef had sworn an oath to banish seasoning from existence. It was expensive, too. It was priced as though Trump's tariffs had gone into effect and doubled the cost of mediocrity. As I forced myself to chew, I looked like a child grimacing through a plate of cold, nasty vegetables. My soul wept. My wallet wept harder. And the worst betrayal? I was led here by my friend, who shall remain nameless, but let's just say her name rhymes with Janelle. The disappointment cut so deep I briefly questioned my trust in humanity. I almost considered ending it all....not my life though. Because when food this bad enters your body, trust issues follow. In summary: if you are hungry--I beg of you, stay away from Dan Dan Boy. Unless, of course, you're craving the taste of broken dreams.

The restaurant industry is hard and Yelp can make it more or less difficult. Because of that, I try to be kind in my reviews, even when giving the rare one-star rating. Sadly, my experience at Dan Dan Boy was a one star episode. It's possible they had an off day so read this with a grain of salt. 1) Food: I ordered the Dan Dan noodles assuming it was their speciality given the name. Obsessed with these noodles, I've had my share around the world, in D.C., and while living in Beijing. Dan Dan Boy's are the worst I've had. The noodles were over cooked and literally spaghetti noodles. The pork was very dry and chunky with odd texture. The flavors were non-existent, masked a pool of oil that took over the entire bowl. Even the green onions tasted poorly. 2) Price: My bowl of Dan Dan noodles cost $18- a steep price for a bowl that tasted not great. With many other worthy food stands at Union Market, I'd reconsider Dan Dan Boy. I will go back, though, to see if it was just an off day.

The food here that's good, it's great, then there are less than good dishes. Spicy Sour glass noodles are fantastic, one of my favorite noodle dishes in DC. Dan Dan however is not good

The Dan fan noodles I received were horrible. I don't think there is any more to say. I won't eat here again

I was in the area and already got my go-to order of gravlox crostini in union market but it had been some time since I've been here so I took a gander and noticed dan dan boy. I love szechuan and so I went on yelp to see a guy giving this place a 1, comparing this small shop to beijing. Laughable. I decided to try it for myself. Ordered the dan dan noodles and I give it a 3.5. The noodles were indeed overcooked but definitely not spaghetti noodles the flavor is there and tofu's nice. But when I think of Szechuan, I think of numbing. Their hot chili oil wasn't bad but it could use some more peppercorns in their recipe. Perhaps it's been made to the Westerner's taste. The portion is pretty big but I'm trying other dishes on their menu before getting the dan dan noodles again.

You smell it before you see it- pepper and garlic wifting all around the stall in union market- so yummy Quick service on a Sunday night. Simple food stall decor. Had the sour and spicy glass noodles-huge serving full of numbing spice, pickled turnips and bok choy- incredible taste- but spicy-very spicy! Just don't try to have a conversation cause the spicy will go down the wrong tube and you will suffer- lol Pork dumplings were salty and not cooked long enough- kind of hard and the dough tasted raw- but we still finished them off-lol

unfortunately i really did not enjoy this place. the garlic eggplant rice bowl on the menu caught my eye because i LOVE garlic eggplant, but it had no protein in it so i asked to add some tofu, which cost me an additional FIVE dollars. i paid it but that's $22 for a bowl, which is frankly exorbitant. when i ate it, i was super underwhelmed. the sauce had no flavor and the eggplant wasn't even fully cooked; i got takeout, so i doctored it at home with more sesame oil and chili sauces, but i shouldn't have to alter a restaurant meal for it to be edible. overall a very disappointing experience :(

I got the Dan Dan noodles with tofu, excited to eat this dish that I am so fond of. The first red flag was that the lady at the check out didn't know what toppings were already in the dish. She didn't even know that the dish had sesame in it! When I got the food, the sauce was basically all water making a gross soup at the bottom of the bowl. The tofu tasted off as well. This dish honestly made me feel sick. I never throw away my food but I could not finish this.

I was coming home from getting an MRI, which is not pleasant, and craving something comforting, like chicken noodle soup. I was thinking chicken ramen when I pulled into Union Market, but then I walked past Dàn Dàn Boy and saw, "Braised chicken and hand-pulled noodles." This is definitely one of my new favorite things to eat to in DC. The chicken, all white meat, is moist and tender. The broth can only be described as silky as it glides over your tongue. It is richly flavored, but not over powering, with a suggestion of heat, and studded with matchsticks of fresh ginger and herbs. The noodles themselves are fluffy and toothsome, nearly potato dumplings. The potatoes, peppers, and onions are razor thin and a bit of an afterthought; this would normally knock off a star, but everything else is so perfect that I'm letting it go. It will be hard to order anything else from this food stall, but I will try. I waited about 10 minutes for my meal, and that was a little after 7pm on a Sunday. The woman taking orders at the counter had been patiently waiting explaining every dish to the man in front of me--and it was clear that she more than selon my decisive order.

Service at the register is lacking. We were there June 1 @ 1:33pm. We were told our order would take 10-15 mins. Took nearly 30 mins. Turns out the woman working the register gave my daughter both the small ticket (that the customer is to hold) AND the larger ticket that is meant for cook. When we asked why it was taking so long we provided the woman the tickets she gave us. My daughter handed the larger ticket to which the woman asked "did I give you this?" Yes. Who else would give it to us? I certainly didn't jump over the counter to grab it. The cook realized the mix up and proceeded to make the order at once. However, not a single apology from the woman who gave us the wrong ticket. She just handed it over to the cook. And went back to her register. No apologies, no acknowledgement that she messed up. There are many other stalls in Union Market with better service. You've been warned.

Good location, but noodles missed the mark. Wait time wasn't bad. I like have appreciated photos of the noodles so i would know more about what I'm ordering. Gave stars for fast service, polite. $33.13 for a bowl of noodles, 6dumplings and tip.

High-quality noodles. Even the mild version is spicy; I would be scared of the spicy version. Make sure to mix the noodles before eating as a lot of the sauce and oil settles to the bottom. Staff is pleasant and prices are reasonable for the huge portion size.

Overpriced, which is annoying when they're going for a "street food" concept. I don't know what it's suposed to taste like, but my $20 veggie hot pot was overwhelmingly peppery and otherwise bland.

I don't usually review places, and I rarely rate any establishment 1 star. However, the Garlic Eggplant dish I got had little to no flavor at all. I could only taste the plain rice. The portion was large, but for 23$ this was one of the biggest overpays of my life.

I'm a huge noodle head -- have traveled in southern China -- and this place is legit. I was confused by the negative reviews and they seem to be mostly from people who are gluten free and are complaining about credit card fees??? Ok that's nonsense. The noodles here are incredible. Chewy, spicy, perfectly seasoned. Bok choy for vegetable contrast. Man these are good. Go!

Found this gem of an eatery tucked away in the middle of Union Market. If you're looking for an authentic bowl of Chinese noods, check out this lovely joint. Efficient and kind staff made delicious food. I will back to try more!

Beware of this scammy below-mid noodle spot. To charge a 3% credit card charge with NO option of receiving change instead you must give them the exact cash amount is beyond me and most likely ILLEGAL. They'll also try to rob you with their $2 chili oil. The Dan Dan noodles were bland and the eggplant rice bowl was soggy tasteless mush. Avoid this spot and try literally any other noodle spot in Union Market. They should also consider hiring competent staff who actually knows what allergens are in their food

Their noodles are absolutely delicious! So much flavor in the dishes we got (I personally loved the Dan Dan Noodles with pork), and plenty of food for the price. Highly recommended if you're in the Union Market area, great service and I definitely plan on returning.

Beware of Blue Mold! Mapo Tofu Nightmare Experience I recently had the unfortunate experience of trying the Mapo Tofu at Dan Dan Boy, and it was nothing short of a NIGHTMARE. There was blue mold in the tofu! I was violently ill with food poisoning symptoms that left me bedridden for hours.

13 spice noodles were delicious!! Would totally recommend! Inside Union Market. Great flavor and customer service.

Might be better than my mom's. (Don't tell her). Can't go wrong with any of the dishes here but this might be a new fave! Also check out any workshops by Chinese Street Market DC, always a lot of fun and informative.

the noodles that were their best seller were garbage. the noodles were mushy and the beef was on the salty side.

As someone who is gluten free, finding places to eat can be extremely difficult. However, this establishment was not that. I told the worker of my dietary restrictions and they accommodated the dish to my needs. I'm also not much of a spicy-loving person, but their noodles were very tasty and the spice level was more of an enjoyable, flavor packed experience than anything. For both the service and the quality of food, I would definitely go again!